Tobacco and Its Influence on the American Economy

Tobacco trade has been an integral part of the American economy for centuries. From its early use by the Native American Indians to its adoption by the European settlers in the New World in the early 17th century, tobacco has played a significant role in early and modern America in both an economic and political sense. "By the advent of the Civil War, the Indian custom had been transformed into a significant American industry. " (The Story behind the Homestead and Museum)

The powerful modern American economy can be traced back to the early European settlers and their search for economic security and gain. The initial New World economy gradually developed into a successful farming economy and eventually into the complex industrial economy of today. (The U.S. Economy: A Brief History) In this process tobacco played an impart part in the founding...
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